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Antique 1927 Pretty Polly Flinders Mary Frances Blaisdell Illus Eugenie Wireman HC
Straight out of the golden age of illustrated children\'s books comes this absolutely enchanting 1927 copy of Pretty Polly Flinders by Mary Frances Blaisdell, beautifully illustrated by Eugenie Wireman and published in Boston by Little, Brown and Company.
The cover art alone feels like a portal into the dreamy, theatrical world of late-1920s storybook illustration — moonlit fantasy, fairy-tale whimsy, soft Art Deco influence, and richly stylized line work all wrapped into one wonderfully atmospheric binding. The muted sage-green cloth with coral-red lettering and illustration is especially striking in person. It has that unmistakable “old library of forgotten magic” aesthetic collectors chase.
And inside? Gorgeous full-page color plates populated by anthropomorphic animals, fairy folk, pumpkins, woodland scenes, elaborate costumes, and surreal dreamlike compositions that feel somewhere between Arthur Rackham, early Disney concept art, and storybook theater.
Honestly, this book looks like it wandered out of a Wes Anderson fever dream and decided to become literature.
About the Book
Pretty Polly Flinders was written during a fascinating transitional moment in American children\'s publishing. The 1920s saw publishers investing heavily in imaginative illustrated books as affordable color printing became more refined and commercially viable.
This “School Edition” was designed to survive generations of eager little hands while still preserving the lavish illustrations that made books like this so beloved. Unlike many fragile juvenile books of the era, this example retains strong visual appeal and a remarkably clean decorative binding.
Mary Frances Blaisdell specialized in imaginative moral and fantasy stories for children, while Eugenie Wireman brought them to life with whimsical illustrations full of movement, texture, and personality.
The artwork here reflects the lingering influence of:
- Art Nouveau fantasy illustration
- Early Art Deco graphic simplification
- Golden Age children\'s publishing
- European fairy-tale aesthetics
- Anthropomorphic animal storytelling traditions
Condition
Very attractive antique condition overall.
Exterior
- Original decorative cloth hardcover binding
- Strong spine lettering
- Light edge wear and rubbing consistent with age
- Mild corner bumping/fraying
- Some spotting/discoloration to rear board
- Beautiful original cover illustration remains vivid and highly displayable
Interior
- Binding intact and holding well
- Pages generally clean with age toning
- Pencil inscription/ghost writing on front endpaper
- Illustrated plates remain vibrant
- No major tears or missing pages noted
A wonderfully displayable survivor nearing the century mark.
Life in 1927
When this book was printed in 1927:
- Charles Lindbergh had just crossed the Atlantic solo.
- Talking motion pictures were brand new.
- Families gathered around large wooden radios at night.
- Children still grew up with storybooks as primary entertainment.
- Walt Disney had not yet released Mickey Mouse.
- Most homes still lacked televisions entirely.
- The world was balancing between Victorian traditions and modern industrial life.
Books like this were not disposable entertainment — they were treasured household objects meant to shape imagination itself.
And somehow this one made it almost 100 years.
